The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, JUNE 4,1898.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 297, 4 June 1898, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, JUNE 4,1898.

It is gratifying that the uncertainty as to the continuance of peace, so far as Great Britain is concerned, has led large numbers of young men throughout the colony to come forward as volunteers, in order to learn the duties which might devolve upon them of having to defend their shores from an attack by one or more of the probable enemies of the Empire. Now that the men are forthcoming, it is to be hoped that the Government will treat them liberally and make the sacrifice consequent on the service as light as possible. If a man gives his time and submits to the necessary discipline; it is too much to ask him in addition to suffer monetary loss. There is a feeling arising in the Old Country, and not unnaturally, that the colonies have not done as much as they ought to have done for the defence of their shores and their commerce. A writer the other day pointed out that the expenditure per head in the colonies for defence purposes was very small indeed compared with the sum the taxpayers in the Old Country are called upon to contribute. The subsidy the Australasian colonies give to the navy is far below the sum svhich, taking their proportionate wealth into consideration, they should contribute. In addition, they have imposed terms as to where the vessels shall be stationed which might seriously hamper the Admirals responsible for the defence of the Empire. The know ledge that there was an ample force in all the colonies, both as regards numbers and efficiency, to resist any attacks likely to be made upon them, would relieve Admirals of much anxiety and enable them to concentrate their forces in order to strike a decisive blow at the fleets of an enemy, or to detach a sufficient number of ships to protect vessels passing along the great trade routes. We do not doubt for one moment that the loyalty of Colonials would fully rise to the occasion were their country actually at war, but when war is once declared is too late a date at which to commence making provision for defence. The position of America at the present moment clearly proves this contention. When war does come, it will come suddenly, as was the case with that now existing between America and Spain. America was unprepared, although the probability that it would eventually n.rise has been recognised for the last three years. We suggest liberality to the volnnteers, but it will be the duty of Government to see that the force to .vhich they extend that liberality is really efficient. Incompetfrnrt of officers must and breaches of discipline by members of the force must be met with sharp and severe punishment, and men must not be allowed to remain in the ranks who from want of attention or other

causes do not promise to become useful citizen soldiers. Outside altogether of the probable necessity to defend ourselves against an enemy, we believe that the establishment of volunteer corps will do indirect good by inculcating into a large section of the population the necessity for discipline. It is impossible not to recognise that one of the weak points in young Colonials is the objection they have to restraint. In this connection we urge the advantage that would accrue to the rising generation were the suggested scheme of drilling all the boys in our schools given effect to. The instructors, however, must be men capable for the duty ; an incompetent man undertaking the work would do more harm than good. Parliament is called together for the despatch of business on the 24th hist. A temperance service of song is announced to be held in the Public Hall, Cambridge, on Tuesday next. Paster Steed will give a short gospel address in the Cambridge Public Hall, at 8 15 p.m. on Suuday evening. A list of services in connection with the Hamiltou-Te Awamutu circuit to-morrow will be found on our third page. A list of services to be conducted by the Rev. W. Smith, the newly-iu-duci-ed Presbyterian minister of Waikato West, appears on our third page Entries for the Waiknto Produce and Root Show, to be held under (he auspices of the Waikato Farmers' Club at Cambridge on Wednesday next, with the Secretary, Mr Martin Butler, on Monday next, 6th inst, It is notified by the Agricultural Department that sheep are now allow d to land in ports by certificate of the sheep inspector at suoh port of landing, aud the declaration of the owner that the sheop are free from disease An Auckland wire last night stated that Mr Hone Heke had arrived there in connection with the treason case against the Maori prisoners in connection with the recent rising at Rawene. He reports that all is quiet BOW among the Waima natives. Yesterday a working bee was being held in St. Andrew's Church grounds, Cambridge. Many of the trees and shrnb3 which had grown too large were being trimmed or removed under the supervision of Mr Wells by a willing band of workers. A middle-aged man named Williams, employed by Mr P. LeQuesne at the Waikato Hotel, met with an accident on Thursday evening by falling down a flight of stairs. He received a severe shaking and his back was hurt. He was taken to the Waikato Hospital, where his injuries received prompt attention.

We have been requested to state that there will be no Presbyterian service at Hukanui to-morrow, as the Rev. J. M. Mitchell will be at Ngaruawahia in tho afternoon. Mr Mitchell will conduct service at Hukanui on the 12th inst. He purposes holding a service at Ngaruawahia every alternate Sunday unri further notice.

A letter addressed to Mrs O'Brien, Cook-street, Auckland, was picked up in Hamilton yesterday and was handed to Constable McConnochie, who duly posted it and requested us to intimate the fact, so that the writer may be satisfied that in the usual course of post it will reach its destination. "Pastor Steed has a special advertisement in this issue notifying that he will reply to Dr. Hosking on the Sabbath question in the Cambridge Public Hall on Monday evening next. There will doubtless be a crowded hall, as the subject has been much discussed lately, so those interested should attend promptly at 7.30 p.m.

Mr Phillips, who is the secretary of Ralph's Coalmining Company has been visiting the various centres in the Waikato during the last few days appointing agencies and arranging the various details in connection with the trade. He informs us that substantial offices have been erected in Huntly, and that satisfactory progress has been made with the work of pumping the [mine. Large orders have been booked in Auckland and elsewhere and the company hopes, under favourable circumstances, to commence supplying coal in about a fortnight's time.

A resident in this district (says the Riverton paper! when he heard that America was going to fight Spain, over tlfe Cuban affair, expressed pleasure, and hoped that the Spaniards would be rubbed out. Asked why, he said a relative of his who had been a planter in Cut a many years ago, was arbitrarily dispossessed of his property of many, thousand pounds in value, and turned out a ruined man just because he wa3 a foreigner, suspected of having sympathy with the rebels. "That's why," concluded our informant, " I'm so poor today. Spain is a robber, and, by Jingo, I'd enlist for service at once if 1 were in the States, just to have a little satisfaction."

Early yesterday morning Mr Williun Peacock, one of the pioneer settlers of Hamilton, passed away to his long home. Mr Feacock was born at Limerick, Ireland, in May, 1524, and as a young man was employed in a chandler's shop, but at an early age he decided to serve his Queen and country, and enlisted in the Bth King's Regiment, subsequently joining the 37th and then the 40th regiments, with which he saw service in India and other places. With the last named regiment he came to New Zealand, &nd took part in the Waikato War, being engaged at the battle of Rangiriri, and later on he was the first sentry on guard at the Ring's Palace at Ngaruawahia. He was at Pateranei, and took part in the skirmish at the bathing placeat Mangapiko,and then saw the closing scene of the war at the assault on the Orakau Pah, where the Maoris made their last stand under the redoubtable General Rewi Maniapoto. Deceased took his discharge at Te Awamutu after 17 years and 11 months service, but he almost at once joined the 4th Regiment of Waikato Militia and became one of the pioneers in the settlement of Hamilton, where he has resided up to the time of his death. Deceased was for many years employed as foreman of wi rks by the Hamilton Borough Council, and his discharge of ths duties always gave the greatest satisfaction. Failing eyesight, the result of an accident, however, compelled him to relinquish his position, and for some years he has been living quietly at his home at Hamilton East, hU pension and the savings of his earlier life affording him sufficient to live on. His health tor some time past has been 'ailing, and the end has bern looked for, his rough life having told upon his constitution, and he parsed quietly away yesterday. He wai at one time a familiar figure in our town, and his open-handed generosity won for him a large circle of friends. Deceased leaves a family of four sons, all of whom are grown up, his wife having died some years ago. The funeral will leave bis late residence for the Hamilton East Cemetery at half-past two to-morrow, and the members of the 4th Waikatos, now becoming very few, are requested to assemble to pay their last tribute of respect to their late comrade.

Mr J. A. Young, Dentist, will visit Te Awamutu next Tuesday, where ho may be consulted at the Mission House. We are pleased to learn that the Rev. Thos. Scott has sufficiently recovered from his indisposition to be able to again attend to his duties. On Sunday next he will preach in Trinity Church in the morning and the other services on that day will be taken by an Auckland mioister who lias come up to supply. Owing to the large amount of sickne-s prevailing in the district, Miss Soppett has decided to postpone the opt ning of her dancing class, which was fixed for to-day, until about the first week in August. No doubt this will cause disappointment to some, but to as to allow as many as possible to participate, it has been deemed advisable to postpone. At the Thames, on Wednesday, Captain Bowron was married to a Maori woman named Bene Te Tuhi, whom a native chief named Maungo claimed as his wife, as ho was married to her in 1869 according to Maori custom, but he found the European law did not recognise the native ceremony, and he could do nothing. Bowron is 52, and the woman 45 years of age. Mrs John McGonnell, who lost her husband recently from fever, desires us to thank tho?e residents of Hamilton who provided the necessary funds to take her and her three children to Napier, where her friends reside. She wishes especially to mention Mrs Saxon, gave her time to collecting subscriptions, and to those ladies who gave and made up an outfit for herself and family. The sum of £6 Pis was raised for this purpose. On Tuesday morning next Messrs Joseph Barugh and John Fisher will leave Waikato for Christchurch, to attend the Agricultural Conference, to be held in that city on the 16th instant The former will represent the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and the latter the Waikato Farmers' Club. Whilo in Auckland they will attend a meeting of tho Chamber of Commerce, at which the advisability of moving in tho matter of the frozen mea industry will be further discussed. Some of the inhabitants of Waikato are very fond of going to Auckland to purchase almost any little thing they require under the impression that they save by so doing, when they could purchase just as in their own township, taking freight into consideration. We arc pleased to know that the whole of the wall papers required for renovating the National Hotel at Cambridge were purchased from Mr Thos Wells, of that town. It is but few country stores that could supply out of its ordinary stock sufficient paper for forty rooms, and nearly all of different patterns.

A meeting of the Hamilton West School Committee took place on Thursday evening. Mrs Erickson's tender at £1 per month for cleaning the school was accepted. The report of Inspector Grierson on the management and state of the school was read, and certain clauses which reflect rather unfavourably upon the teacher are to be submitted to him for comment. Mr Frear wrote asking payment of an old debt for repairs to blinds. Mr Frear is to be asked for particulars. The Chairman reported that in eousequence of the issue of notices to parents, the attendance had somewhat improved of late. An account for £2 4s 7d, for stationery ect. from Mr Bond, was passed for payment.

Much surprise is expressed at the declaration of the Hon. J. McKenzie, write the Wellington correspondent of the Herald, that he will at the next election retire from the representation of the Waihemo seat. Friends of the Government suggest that the Hon. W. J. Larnach will probably be called to the Upper House-, and" that Mr McKenzie will contest the seat tor Tuapeka, if necessary. Still greater surprise is felt at the proposal to sell the Bank of New Zealand to a syndicate. That some such intention existed was stated some months ago, but- it was stoutly deDied by the Government. Most people regard the speech of the Mm'ster of Lands as a valedictory deliverance. His health is not good, and it is known that he has expressed a desire to visit the old country as soon as practicable.

The annual monthly meeting of the Waikato Farmers' Club will ba held at Cambridge on Monday evoniug. This meeting should really have been last Monday the 30th ultimo, for it is supposed to be held on or before the full moon ; but the " Queen of the Night " was in so backward a state on that date that she deceived nearly everyone. The meeting on Monday will not be the annual one ; that will be held on Mon day, the 4th July, which will exactly strike the full moon. There will be much important business to transact at Monday's meeting : there will bo the report of the Sugar-beet Committee to be considered, which we believe will recommend the passing into law the Sugar-beet bill, _ as introduced by the Government last session and the delegates who are going to attend the Agricultural Conference will require instructions as to what they are to support and what to oppose, etc.

The President of the Cambridge Liberal (?) Association has been giving the inhabitants of that town an opportunity of indulging in a missing word competition. The following is a copy of a petition to the Premier which he prepared, and it now lies at Mr Bond's shop in Cambridge awaiting signatures: "To the Hon. the Colonial Premier.— We, the undersigned Liberal electors of Cambridge and its vicinity, understanding that you are about to visit Raclan shortly to address the inhabitants of that locality, hereby respectfully request you to include our town in your travels on the same journey, therein to deliver at least one political address to the further enlightmenb of us and our Conservative friends and ne'ghbours, who are supposed to be the strongest party in the Waikato, as also politically the most , which a visit from you might possibly alter. By acceding to our request, we promise to do our utmost to give you a bumper meeting and a hearty welcome ti mike the visit a political success."—lt will interes; our readers to supply the missing word, but we doubt if their views will meet with the approval of the egotistical " grsat Liberal party."

The Medical News speaks as follows of the condition of the Spanish army in Cüba : - General Losada, of the Spanish forces in Cuba, recently issued his official report, in which arc indicated losses almost without precedent in modern times. His report shows that out of the 200,000 soldiers sent by Spain to put down the insurrection in the island from the beginning of February, 1805, to the beginning of December of the year just terminated, not more than 53,000 (a little over onefourth) are at this moment fit for active service. The 147,000 arc either dead or sent hack to the motherland ill or wounded. The causes of this unprecedented death rate and sick list are (besides casualties in action) mainly three—(l) the inappropriateness of the clothing furnished to the European troops ; (2) fatigue; and (3) lack of food. The report, which does not apparently err on the score of reticence, paints a lurid picture of military service in the chief Spanish colony. Under successive generals the three years' campaign, in spite of numberless royalist " victories," leaves Cuba as precarious a Spanish possession as ever, while a whole generation must intervene before island and motherland alike can recover from the loss of blood, property and treasure.